Super Retail up 3% after posting record $3.8 billion in sales

The news: Supercheap Auto and Rebel owner Super Retail has recorded a statutory net profit of $263 million after tax, up 9% on the back of record sales.

The numbers: The company's $3.3 billion sales figure was up 7% on last year, helping supplement a 24 cent special dividend for shareholders. They also received a fully franked ordinary dividend of 44 cents, which held steady from 2022. SUL shares were up 3% to $13.74 at 2pm AEST.

The context: Super Retail posted record sales for all four major brands: Supercheap Auto, Rebel, BCF and Macpac. The strong retail results came despite interest rate hikes and cost of living pressures. The best-performing segment of its biggest brand, Supercheap Auto, was in auto-maintenance, indicating a growing trend towards do-it-yourself servicing and repair.